Foot operated apparatus for door actuation



Oct. 5, 1965 E. J. CZAPLICKE ETAL 3,210,066

FOQT OPERATED APPARATUS FOR DOOR ACTUATION Filed Sept. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTYS. v

Oct. 5, 1965 FIG.4

E. J. CZAPLICKE ETAL FOOT OPERATED APPARATUS FOR DOOR AGTUATION Filed Sept. 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N V EN TORS APLICKE ANDREW MARTON ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,210,066 FOOT OPERATED APPARATUS FOR DOOR ACTUATION Edwin J. Czaplicke, Cuyahoga Falls, and Andrew Marton,

Akron, Ohio, assignors to Wilkinson Chutes, Inc,

Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 136,778 3 Claims. (Cl. 268-37) The present invention relates to doors, such as laundry or rubbish chute doors or the like, and particularly to a foot operated apparatus for door actuation and control.

Heretofore there have been various types of chute doors of the class to which the present invention relates developed and various types of these have been commercially in large quantities. Particularly successful types of doors as made and sold heretofore are shown in US. Patents Nos. 2,587,021 and 2,922,203. These doors for laundry or rubbish chutes or the like, have been widely used in hospitals, apartment buildings, and many other commercial structures. Such doors or hoppers have been quite satisfactory in use and have given long, efiicient service lives. However, there is demand in certain instances to have laundry and rubbish chute doors operable by foot. Heretofore it has been very difficult, if not impossible, to provide a compact, readily installed unit wherein the desired control and release action for the doors can be provided and where a positive door locking action is also obtained.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved door construction of the type indicated and where a foot operated apparatus for door actuation purposes is provided and is characterized by the provision of both a positive locking action for retaining the door closed and for releasing the door for a positive door opening action all through a single foot operated pedal control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control cam in a door structure in association with a locking latch whereby the control cam can be initially moved by a foot pedal control and suitable linkage means to cause the latch to be retracted prior to any door opening actuation in the apparatus of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively uncomplicated linkage and control mechanism of the class described, and which mechanism Will provide a long service life with a minimum of maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compact positive operating actuating mechanism of the class described for unitary control of a door to move it from a locked, closed position to a released, open position and for a positive return and locking movement of the door.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attention now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings, Where:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an operatively positioned apparatus embodying the principles of the invention and with a foot operated pedal for door actuation being shown engaged with a wall or other suitable structure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with the door in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is a verticle section, like FIG. 2, but with the door being shown in its opened position; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sections taken through the door latch showing it in its locked and released positions, respectively.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings, and referred to in the specification, corre- $21,000 Patented Got. 5, 1965 sponding numerals are used to facititate comparison therebetween.

The prevent invention, generally speaking, relates to a combination in a chute or hopper door assembly including frame means, a door engaged with the frame means, and support means pivotally positioning the door, and where the combination includes a latch carrier by the door to lock the door in its closed position, a foot actuatable pedal operatively associated with the frame means, means positioned adjacent the latch to engage it and move the latch to a released position when such means is actuated, link means connecting the pedal to the means to actuate it by the initial depressing movement of the pedal, and lost motion means operatively connecting the link means to the door to move it to an open position after the latch is released upon continued depressing movement of the pedal.

Attention is now direction to the details of the structure shown in the drawings,'and a foot operated apparatus for door actuation is indicated as a Whole by the numeral 1. This apparatus 1 is shown operatively engaged with a suitable building structure 2 in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Preferably the apparatus of the invention is a unitary structure that can be assembled as a sub-assembly unit and then be operatively assembled or secured to the building 2 by conventional means to provide a laundry, or rubbish chute door or the like that would have a conventional connection with a laundry chute or similar member 3 extending from a portion of the building 2 down to a collection point in the basement, for example, in the building.

The apparatus ll also includes a frame means 4. The frame means 4 has an upper section, including angles 4a and cover strips 50, 51, 52 and 53, that defines an opening 5 therein and with a foot section 6 of the frame means connecting thereto by means of a hollow exten sion, or leg 7 including a front plate 70. The foot section 6 includes a cover plate 55, having a vertically extending slot formed therein, secured to the front plate 70. A door 8 is operatively associated with the frame means 4 for removably covering the opening 5 therein and with such door 8 being positioned in the manner generally as shown in Patent No. 2,922,203. The door 8 thus may be carried by means of a support rod, or shaft 9 fixedly secured to a bottom portion of the door and protruding laterally therefrom for journalled engagement with the members, such as cap bearings 10, secured to channel 54 forming portions of the frame means 4 adjacent the lower edge of the opening 5, as by cap screws 11.

The door 3 can be manually opened, if desired, by a handle (not shown) being provided thereon, but preferably is controlled through the action of the foot pedal hereinafter described. The door opening action or movement is transferred to a conventional air cylinder 12 that is secured to the upper portion of the frame means 4 in a suitable manner. The connecting means include a control arm 13 fixedly secured to the shaft 9 and pivotally secured to a connecting link 14 that extends vertically upwardly in a side or lateral portion of the frame means 4. This connecting link 14 in turn pivotally connects to a slide bar 15 that bears on a vertically extending section of the frame means on a back surface thereof. The slide bar 15 has the piston rod 16 of the air cylinder 12 secured thereto whereby upward vertical movement of the upper end of the connecting link 14 as is occasioned by opening action or movement of the door 8 causes this piston rod 16 to move from the air cylinder 12 and compress air and/ or conventional spring means therein whereby energy is stored up therein for door closing action when the door is released.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the door 8 can be locked or latched securely in a closed position, and that such door can be released or be completely opened by a foot actuated member. To this end, a foot actuatable pedal 17 is secured to a carrier shaft 18 that is journalled in the foot section 6 of the frame means and with the pedal 17 protruding from the slot in the cover plate 55 of this foot section of the frame means to be operatively engaged by a persons foot to be depressed thereby when door opening action is desired, as hereinafter explained in more detail.

A conventional coil spring 19 is positioned on the shaft 18 and engages a portion of the foot section 6 and also engages the pedal 17 so as to cause such pedal to take the normal inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 2, when external forces thereon are removed. Furthermore, the action of the air cylinder 12 and the weight of the members associated with the pedal 17 both aid the pedal 17 in taking the inoperative position shown in FIG. 2 when forces thereon are removed. The inner end of the pedal, or lever 17 has an operating link 20 pivotally connecting thereto and extending generally vertically upwardly in the frame means 4. It connects at its upper end to a second operating link 21 that extends vertically upwardly in the frame means 4 to a location adjacent the upper end of the door 8.

As a feature of the invention, this second operating link 21 pivotally connects to a member, such as an operating means or arm 22, that is pivotally secured to the frame means 4 adjacent its upper end for door release action. The arm 22 is secured in place, as by means of a shaft or rod 23 journalled on and suitably secured to the frame means 4 and an operating member, such as a cam means or cam arm 24, is secured to said shaft 23 to be held in fixed angular relationship with relation to the arm 22 at all times. Usually the arm 22 would be within an enclosure provided by the frame 4 and the cam arm 24 is on the outer surface of the frame to be adjacent the latch on the door 8. Thus upward arcuate swinging movement of the arm 22 on the shaft 23 will cause the cam arm 24 to be moved arcuately downward ly a corresponding distance depending upon the lengths of the two members. The free end of the cam arm 24 may be slightly inclined or be beveled laterally outwardly toward an adjacent portion of the frame means 4, as indicated at 25 in FIG. 5. Such cam ar-m end 25 is adapted to engage with a beveled or curved surface 26 provided on a member, such as a latch 27, that is carried by the door 8 adjacent one lateral margin thereof and is adapted to be engaged behind a stop 28, or equivalent formed in a vertically extending side sheet 128 of the frame means that extends the height of the frame means. The stop 28 is used for latching or securing the door 8 in a closed position upon the automatic closing action of the door 8 by the air cylinder 12 after the door is opened. The initial depressing movement of the front end of the pedal 17 will cause the cam arm 24 and the cam arm end 25 to engage the latch 27 and retract it laterally inwardly of the door 8 to disengage it from the stop 28 whereby the door 8 then is released for opening movement. A spring 27a continually urges the latch 27 laterally outwardly.

It is another feature of the present invention that the foot operated pedal 17 can be used both for the latch release action and for door opening action, if desired. To this end, a lost motion connection means is provided to connect the operating link 20 to the arm 13 that is operatively secured to the door 8 and controls the position thereof. The drawing shows that a slot 29, which extends vertically of the apparatus of the invention, is provided in this operating link 20. A conventional member, such as a pin or roller pin 30, is carried by the arm 13 to engage such control arm with the operating link 20 and the parts are arranged to have the roller or pin 30 normally engaging the vertically upper end of the slot 29. Hence, initial vertically upwardly directed movement of the operating link 20 will not produce any corresponding movement of the arm 13 and such initial movement of the operating link 20 can be used for releasing the latch 27. After such releasing action of the latch, then continued downward movement of the front end of the pedal 17 will cause the pin 30 to engage the lower end of the slot 29 and cause the door to be swung outwardly for exposing the chute 3 for deposit of rubblish, garbage, laundry, or the like, depending upon the particular use to which the apparatus of the invention is put.

It should be realized that, in general, the control apparatus of the invention is located in a chamber 40 provided in a laterally offset portion of the frame means 4 adjacent one margin of the opening 5. A sheet metal member 40a forms the back and lower end of the hollow extension or leg 7 and extends upwardly to the top of the frame means 4. Such part of the frame means 4 may totally enclose, or support such. operating mechanism, if desired, to facilitate assembly of the entire apparatus of the invention as one unit in the building.

For clarity, the chute 3 is only shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. Any desired cover members, or plates may be associated with or secured to the frame means 4 when it is operatively positioned in the building 2 to provide a finished, attractive appearance therefor.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the apparatus of the invention is relatively uncomplicated, and that it is adapted to provide a long service life with a minimum of maintenance. The components of the apparatus can be reached for servicing by removing any cover plates provided thereon but with, in general, a foot operated member being provided to control and move the laundry or other door from its closed and locked position to an open position and permit the person operating the door to have both hands free for deposit of material into the chute 3, or other memebr associated with the apparatus 1 of the invention. Thus it is believed that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a chute or hopper door or the like,

a vertically positioned frame member means for attachment to a support to connect to a chute or the.

like, said frame means having an upper section with an opening therein and having a downwardly extending hollow extension thereon at one lateralmargin thereof,

a door engageable with said frame means to cover said opening,

a shaft secured to said door and journalled in said frame means to position said door,

a spring latch carried by said door adjacent its upper end at one lateral margin thereof and engaging said frame means to lock said door closed,

a foot actuatable pedal pivotally secured to said extension of said frame means and protruding therefrom,

said frame means including a vertically extending side sheet connecting to said extension,

a door control arm secured to said shaft and extending radially thereof,

a cam positioned on one side of said side sheet adjacent said latch for movement in a vertical plane to engage it and move said latch to a release position when said cam is actuated,

link means on the opposite side of said side sheet connecting said pedal to said cam to actuate it on initial movement of said pedal when depressed, and

lost-motion means connecting said link means to said arm to move said door to an open position after said latch is released upon continued depression of said pedal.

2. In a chute or hopper door or the like,

a vertically positioned frame means for attachment to a support to connect to a chute or the like, said frame means having an upper section with an opening therein and having a downwardly extending hollow extension thereon at one lateral margin thereof,

a door engageable with said frame means to cover said opening,

a horizontally positioned shaft secured to said door and journalled in said frame means to position said door,

a spring latch carried by said door adjacent its upper end at one lateral margin thereof and engaging said frame means to lock said door closed,

a foot actuatable pedal pivotally secured to said extension of said frame means and protruding therefrom,

a door control arm secured to said shaft and extending radially thereof,

a cam positioned on said frame means adjacent said latch for movement in a vertical plane to engage it and move said latch to a release position when said cam is actuated,

link means connecting said pedal to said cam to actuate it on initial movement of said pedal when depressed, and

lost-motion means connecting said link means to said arm to move said door to an open position after said latch is released upon continued depression of said pedal.

3. In a chute or hopper or the like,

a vertically positioned frame means for attachment to a support to connect to a chute or the like, said frame means having an upper section with an opening therein and having a downwardly extending hollow extension thereon at one lateral margin thereof,

a door engagable with said frame means to cover said opening,

a shaft secured to said door and journalled in said frame means to position said door,

a spring latch carried by said door adjacent its upper end at one lateral margin thereof and engaging said frame means to lock said door closed,

a foot actuatable pedal pivotally secured to said extension of said frame means and protruding therefrom,

a door control arm secured to said shaft and extending radially thereof,

a cam positioned on said frame means adjacent said latch for movement in a vertical plane to engage it and move said latch to a release position when said cam is actuated, and

link means connecting said pedal to said cam to actuate it on initial movement of said pedal when depressed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 566,900 9/96 Frye 268-71 X 1,145,736 7/15 Anderson 268-71 2,547,089 4/51 Oberst 286-76 2,587,021 2/52 Wilkinson 20-16 2,922,203 1/60 Marton 20-16 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner, 

3. IN A CHUTE OR HOPPER OR THE LIKE, A VERTICALLY POSITIONED FRAME MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SUPPORT TO CONNECT TO A CHUTE OR THE LIKE, SAID FRAME MEANS HAVING AN UPPER SECTION WITH AN OPENING THEREIN AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING HOLLOW EXTENSION THEREON AT ONE LATERAL MARGIN THEREOF, A DOOR ENGAGABLE WITH SAID FRAME MEANS TO COVER SAID OPENING, A SHAFT SECURED TO SAID DOOR AND JOURNALLED IN SAID FRAME MEANS TO POSITION SAID DOOR, A SPRING LATCH CARRIED BY SAID DOOR ADJACENT ITS UPPER END AT ONE LATERAL MARGIN THEREOF AND ENGAGING SAID FRAME MEANS TO LOCK SAID DOOR CLOSED, A FOOT ACTUATABLE PEDAL PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID EXTENSION OF SAID FRAME MEANS AND PROTRUDING THEREFROM, A DOOR CONTROL ARM SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREOF, A CAM POSITIONED ON SAID FRAME MEANS ADJACENT SAID LATCH FOR MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAID LATCH TO A RELEASE POSITION WHEN SAID CAM IS ACTUATED, AND LINK MEANS CONNECTING SAID PEDAL TO SAID CAM TO ACTUATE IT ON INITIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID PEDAL WHEN DEPRESSED. 